Style guide · 6 examples

Ocarina of Time thumbnail ideas
for the remake, from day one.

A good Ocarina of Time thumbnail tells one story at a glance: a ranking, a new feature of the remake, the old game next to the new one, a first reaction or a secret found. Below: 6 examples generated with Base.Tube to show what an Ocarina of Time thumbnail can look like. They use the game's look and characters: Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, Epona and Hyrule. You also get five layouts for the videos the remake will bring, and the colour and text rules behind them.

Generate an Ocarina of Time thumbnail (opens the Base.Tube Studio in a new tab)See the examples
Start from a layout
Zelda: Ocarina of Time thumbnail: an invented streamer reacts as the Water Temple drops to the bottom of a dungeon tier list, text WORST DUNGEON?
Dungeon tier list: the face cam reacts to the verdictExample 01
Examples

6 Zelda: Ocarina of Time-style thumbnail examples

Every example is generated with Base.Tube in the game's own look, with its real characters and places. No real people, no copied thumbnails. Select one to see the prompt behind it.

  • Dungeon tier list: the face cam reacts to the verdict
  • Best item: the inventory screen as a ranking
  • New feature: Link can finally jump
  • Glow up: one face, two eras
  • Getting Epona: the horse mid-air
  • Water Temple guide: the famous room, one arrow
Style recipe

The Zelda: Ocarina of Time thumbnail style, rule by rule

Palette

  • Kokiri green #2E8B3ALink's tunic, Kokiri Forest and Hyrule Field, the colour viewers spot first
  • Triforce gold #F2B544Light shafts, the Master Sword's glow and the one word that must grab the eye
  • Ocarina blue #2F6FD6The ocarina, the Hylian Shield, Navi's glow and water dungeons
  • Ganon red #B8322AGanondorf, bosses, lava and warning arrows
  • Temple violet #3B2A5ANight skies, the Shadow Temple, secrets and glitch videos
  • Outline black #14100CThick text outlines and the shadows that frame the subject
Composition
One idea per image, readable in a second. Mix the shots: a full gameplay frame with the hearts and rupees on screen, a creator face cam next to the game, a split frame for N64 vs Switch 2, one big character such as Ganondorf, or one iconic object such as the Master Sword. Leave the bottom-right corner empty: YouTube shows the video length there.
Text
Zero to three words in capitals, big, white or gold with a thick black outline. A heavy sans-serif reads best at phone size; keep a carved-stone serif for one-word titles. Never a block of information.
Faces & expressions
On a face cam: shock for a boss reveal, a pointing grin for a ranking, tears for the Master Sword. On game characters: Link determined, Ganondorf menacing. On a split frame the scene carries the emotion.
Background
Real places from the game: Kokiri Forest, Hyrule Field, Hyrule Castle, Death Mountain, Lake Hylia and the Temple of Time. Blur or darken them so the character and the text stay sharp.
Props & details
  • The blue Ocarina of Time and floating song notes
  • The Master Sword in its pedestal, the Hylian Shield
  • Items such as the Hookshot, Megaton Hammer and Iron Boots
  • Gold Skulltulas, rupees and heart containers
  • A small Zelda logo or Nintendo Switch 2 badge, never bottom-right
Layout recipes

Five layouts for Zelda: Ocarina of Time thumbnails

  1. Tier List & Ranking

    For "every dungeon ranked" or "best item" videos. A synthetic creator face cam reacts to a tier list, a podium or a shelf of real Ocarina of Time dungeons, bosses, items or songs. One verdict on top.

    Prompt idea16:9 YouTube thumbnail for a Zelda: Ocarina of Time video: ranking every dungeon. An invented streamer with a synthetic face reacts to a colourful tier list of the game's dungeons, Hyrule in the background. Text "RANKED", keep the bottom-right corner clear, be creative with the composition

    Generate a Tier List & Ranking layout in the Base.Tube Studio (new tab)

  2. Remake Reveal

    For news and "what's new in the remake" videos. Link, Zelda or Ganondorf in the new Switch 2 look, a small Switch 2 badge, and one new feature made visible: the jump, the voiced scenes, humming the songs.

    Prompt idea16:9 YouTube thumbnail for a Zelda: Ocarina of Time video: what is new in the Switch 2 remake. Link and Princess Zelda in the remake's detailed style at Hyrule Castle, a small Switch 2 badge. Text "WHAT'S NEW", keep the bottom-right corner clear, be creative with the composition

    Generate a Remake Reveal layout in the Base.Tube Studio (new tab)

  3. N64 vs Switch 2

    The signature layout of any remake. Split the frame: the 1998 N64 version on one side, the Switch 2 remake on the other, same place, same camera angle. One short label, or none.

    Prompt idea16:9 YouTube thumbnail for a Zelda: Ocarina of Time video: N64 vs Switch 2. Split frame of the same Hyrule scene, low-poly 1998 version on the left, detailed remake on the right, same angle. Text "THEN VS NOW", keep the bottom-right corner clear, be creative with the composition

    Generate a N64 vs Switch 2 layout in the Base.Tube Studio (new tab)

  4. First Playthrough & Reaction

    For blind runs, "day 1" and first-reaction videos. A synthetic face cam reacts to a famous moment, or a full gameplay shot shows the HUD and the place. Sell wonder or shock, keep the title short.

    Prompt idea16:9 YouTube thumbnail for a Zelda: Ocarina of Time video: a first playthrough. Young Link and Navi in Kokiri Forest with the game's hearts HUD, an invented streamer with a synthetic face reacting in awe. Text "FIRST TIME", keep the bottom-right corner clear, be creative with the composition

    Generate a First Playthrough & Reaction layout in the Base.Tube Studio (new tab)

  5. Secrets & Dungeon Guides

    For walkthroughs, boss guides, Gold Skulltula hunts and glitch tests. A real dungeon, boss or secret spot, with one red arrow or circle on the answer and a short promise.

    Prompt idea16:9 YouTube thumbnail for a Zelda: Ocarina of Time video: a secret most players miss. Adult Link bombs a cracked wall in a dungeon, gold light pours out, a red circle on the spot. Dark violet. Text "SECRET", keep the bottom-right corner clear, be creative with the composition

    Generate a Secrets & Dungeon Guides layout in the Base.Tube Studio (new tab)

What we know about the remake

Checked on 22 October 2026, on Nintendo's own pages:

  • Release date: 5 November 2026. Nintendo announced the date on 8 September 2026, during the Zelda 40th anniversary Direct.
  • Platform: Nintendo Switch 2 only. The US Nintendo store page says "Exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2".
  • What changes: Nintendo's Australian game page lists reimagined visuals, a refreshed soundtrack, fully voiced cutscenes, a jump button, a dash, motion aiming, and the option to hum songs into the console's built-in microphone.
  • Players: single player.

That list tells you which videos will exist: comparisons, first reactions to the voiced scenes, tests of the new jump.

Two audiences, one thumbnail each

An Ocarina of Time remake thumbnail talks to one of two people.

  • The returning player knows the original by heart. What they want to see is the difference: what changed, what was cut, whether an old trick still works. Comparisons and secrets are made for them.
  • The first-time player has never seen the game. They want the adventure itself: a huge world, a first dungeon, a first boss. Wonder sells better than detail.

An image aimed at both speaks to neither. Pick one: "GLOW UP" for the fan, "DAY 1" for the newcomer.

The comparison is the remake's signature thumbnail

Every big remake produces the same video first: old versus new.

  • Same scene, same angle. If the camera moves between the halves, the viewer compares the framing instead of the graphics.
  • Make the old side look honestly old. Low-poly shapes, flat textures and thick fog read as "1990s 3D" at phone size. A blurred image just looks broken.
  • Put the text over the calmer half, usually the N64 side.

Show the real game, never a real person

Fans click on what they recognise: Link, the Master Sword, the ocarina, Ganondorf, Hyrule Field, the hearts on screen. The examples on this page are generated with Base.Tube to show what an Ocarina of Time thumbnail can look like, and they use the game's look and characters.

  • No real faces. Every face cam in the examples is an invented face. Never generate a real creator, a Nintendo developer or a celebrity. On your channel, your own face works best.
  • Nothing that looks official. The characters belong to Nintendo. Read its fan-content guidelines (linked above) and never present your video as made or approved by Nintendo.

Words that fit an adventure

A heavy sans-serif reads best at phone size, in white or gold with a thick black outline. Keep a carved-stone serif for one-word titles like "SOLVED". To compare fonts, see the YouTube thumbnail fonts guide.

Backgrounds: a real place, with one light

Use a place fans know, such as Kokiri Forest or the Temple of Time, and blur or darken it so the subject stays sharp. More in the YouTube thumbnail backgrounds guide.

Plan for launch week

First reactions, "what's new" videos and N64 vs Switch 2 comparisons go up in the first days after 5 November, so treat these Zelda thumbnail ideas as a schedule: build those layouts now and add the words on launch day. Rankings, guides and secrets come later, once players have finished the game or got stuck.

Size and checks

Upload at 1280 × 720 pixels in a 16:9 frame; the YouTube thumbnail size guide has the current file limits. Keep the bottom-right corner empty, where YouTube shows the video length. Then put your thumbnail next to other videos in the YouTube thumbnail preview and compare versions with the thumbnail tester. No tool can predict how many people will click before a video is live: the real test is how it performs on YouTube.

Checklist

Do this, not that

Do

  • Give each thumbnail one video idea a viewer gets in a second, a ranking, a new feature, a comparison, a reaction or a secret.
  • Show the real game so fans recognise it at once, Link, Hyrule, the items and the HUD.
  • On an N64 vs Switch 2 comparison, show the same place from the same angle on both halves.
  • Keep the text to three words or fewer, with a thick dark outline.
  • Leave the bottom-right corner clear for the video length, and keep any logo badge away from it.

Don't

  • Don't put a real person's face in an AI thumbnail, not a creator, a Nintendo developer or a celebrity; use your own face or an invented one.
  • Don't make a render of Link alone with sparkles; without a video idea it says nothing.
  • Don't fake a comparison by blurring one side; the old look must read as low-poly at phone size.
  • Don't put a spoiler in the thumbnail of a first-playthrough or guide video.
  • Don't cover the image with news text; three words is the limit.
FAQ

Questions about Zelda: Ocarina of Time thumbnails

What makes a good Ocarina of Time thumbnail?
One clear story: a ranking, a new feature of the remake, the old game next to the new one, a first reaction or a secret found. Show the real game so fans recognise it, one character or one place large, and add up to three words that the image cannot say on its own. Then check it at phone size: if the idea is not readable in a second, cut something.
How do I make a remake vs original comparison thumbnail?
Split the frame in two and show the same scene from the same camera angle on both halves. Make the N64 side look honestly old (few polygons, flat textures, fog) and the Switch 2 side rich and lit. A thin bright seam and a short label such as "THEN VS NOW" do the rest. Put the text over the calmer half so it stays readable.
When does the Ocarina of Time remake come out?
Nintendo lists The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for 5 November 2026, on Nintendo Switch 2 only. The date was announced on 8 September 2026 during the Zelda 40th anniversary Direct. We checked Nintendo's own store and game pages on 22 October 2026; if the date moves, Nintendo's pages are the source to trust.
Can I use Nintendo screenshots or artwork in a Zelda thumbnail?
Nintendo's Game Content Guidelines for Online Video & Image Sharing Platforms say it will not object to gameplay footage and screenshots in videos with your own creative input. They do not mention thumbnails, and they forbid implying your video is affiliated with Nintendo. The examples on this page are generated with Base.Tube and use the game's look and characters. Read Nintendo's rules before you publish, and never present your video as official. This page is not legal advice.
What font works for a Legend of Zelda thumbnail?
A heavy sans-serif such as Anton reads best at small sizes, for words like "WORST DUNGEON?" or "ONE HIT?". For a one-word title, a carved-stone serif such as Cinzel (free on Google Fonts, with a Black weight) gives the fantasy feel. Whatever you choose, use it big, in capitals, with a thick dark outline.
Should I make my remake thumbnails before launch?
Yes for the first videos. First reactions, "what's new" videos and N64 vs Switch 2 comparisons go up in the first days, so prepare those layouts in advance and swap in the right words on launch day. Rankings, guides and secrets follow once players are deep in the game, so you can build those thumbnails from what people actually get stuck on.
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Base.Tube Studio

Make a Zelda: Ocarina of Time-style thumbnail
for your next video.

Describe your video, pick a layout, and generate options in the Base.Tube Studio. Once the video is live, connect your channel to see its real impressions and click-through rate.

Generate an Ocarina of Time thumbnail (opens the Base.Tube Studio in a new tab)Free channel audit (opens the Base.Tube Studio in a new tab)